June Dinner Club ~ Italian Night

June 25th  Dinner Club

Hosted by Joanie and Michael Sparkman

We started our evening with a tour of Michael and Joanie's beautiful house....

Vicki even tried out the mattress.....their house is amazing...

...Rob and I really loved the art work!

~ The Antipasti ~

We started with antipasti on the patio overlooking hole #12 North...

it was served with Prosecco (sparkly, crisp, and sweet!)

Vicki (and David) made this arrangement of Italian vegetables,

sliced avocado, anchovies & Italian deli meats.

Next, we moved inside for the primi and secondi courses....

~ The Primi Course ~

Diana (and Matt) made Spicy Vegetable Pasta Sauce

served on penne pasta and spaghetti squash.

It was spicy and delicious!!

This course was served with 2 bottles of full bodied red wine ~ Syrah & Multipullciano

Spicy Italian Vegetable Pasta Sauce

In a heavy saucepan, combine the following ingredients and simmer for 45 minutes:
2 cups coarsely chopped organic carrots
2 cups coarsely chopped organic celery
2 cups coarsely chopped organic onions (Vidalia onions are great when available)
1 28oz can organic tomatoes with puree

Let cool and place all ingredients into a food processor with the following additional ingredients:
1 TBSP organic dried red chili pepper flakes
1 TBSP organic raw sugar
½ Cup organic olive oil
¼ Cup fresh organic parsley
¼ Cup Basil Pesto
Sal gris (or kosher sea salt) and fresh crushed pepper to taste

Run all ingredients through food processor until reaching a smooth consistency, then simmer in pan for 15 minutes
Serve with organic penne pasta and/or baked spaghetti squash, and top with fresh grated Parmisiano Reggiano cheese.

 ~ The Secondi Course ~

Prepared by Chefs Michael and Joanie Sparkman

This dish was served with Pinot Noir.

Chicken Picatta, prepared with almond flour, and served on fresh organic greens

SIMPLY AMAZING......

~ Dolce~

This particular Italian Creme Cake is surprisingly light in flavor and texture,

and the Van Gogh Espresso Vodka right out of the freezer makes it a marvelous dolce.

Prepared by Me (and Rob)....might tasty, if I say so myself!

I posted this recipe yesteray....very easy and delicous!

 I baked...Rob served.....WATCH OUT!

A wonderful evening had by all.....even Wilbur!

We laughed, joked, danced, sang, and enjoyed being with such great friends...

we could have stayed all night!

Thank you, Michael and Joanie for a wonderful evening in your gorgeous home.

We look forward to our next Dinner Club Adventure at the Canyon Lake House!!

Unitl then.....Bon Appetit!

Dinner Club Tonight...Italian Creme Cake

Tonight is our Dinner Club ~ 4 Course Italian Meal!

I was asked to bake and bring an Italian Creme Cake....

....and frozen Vincent Van Gogh Espresso Vodka to serve with it!!

(the icing has this vodka in it, too!)

The cake looks pretty good...the icing is delicious!

Can't wait to bite into it tonight!! (Fingers crossed it tastes as good as it looks?!?)

We were asked to make our dishes as organic as possible.....

We buy organic fruit/veggies...but some of these items were a new to us!

Italian Crème Cake

Although many ingredients are used, preparing this cake is a most enjoyable experience

Sparkman’s House Overlooking the Onioin Creek Club 12th Hole (North)

~Dinner Club July 2011~

In a mixer, cream the following ingredients:
½ stick softened organic butter
½ Cup shortening (organic if available)

Add-in, gradually the follow, in order, one ingredient at a time:
2 Cups organic raw sugar
5 organic egg YOLKS (only), one at a time (save egg whites for later)

With a whisk or spatula, fold in:
1 TSP organic baking soda
½ Cup organic buttermilk
1 Cup organic baking flour
1 Cup organic whole wheat flour
(or 2 Cups organic whole wheat BAKING flour if available – in either case 2 Cups total flour)

When those ingredients are folded in, fold in:
1 Cup organic coconut flakes
1 Cup EITHER organic pecans or organic walnuts
3 TSP organic vanilla
Lastly, beat until slightly stiff 5 remaining organic egg whites and fold into batter

Line two cake pans with wax paper, flour sides, and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool, and remove one and ice the top, then the other and ice top and sides.

For the icing, cream the following ingredients:
1 stick softened organic butter
8 oz organic LIGHT cream cheese
1 TSP Vincent Van Gogh Vodka (place the remaining vodka in the freezer for drinking with the cake)
Juice of ½ organic lemon (use juice press for best results)
1-2 Cups organic powdered sugar (start with 1 Cup and add until reaching a smooth consistency and tasted for taste)

I will post pictures and more recipes from our 4 Course Italian Meal after tonight!

Looking forward to a great evening with friends!

Dinner Club ~ March

Vicki and David hosted Dinner Club

Greek Menu

Appetizer

Greek Meatballs

Salad Course 

SALATA HORIATIKI(Greek Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives)

Main Course

Lemon Chicken and Orzo

Dessert

Brandied Sugared Strawberries over Frozen Yogurt

(I think I had too many glasses of wine and forgot to take a picture of dessert!

Next Dinner Club -- I promise to be a better photographer!)

 Diana and Vicki chat as Diana cooks the meatballs.

Keftedes

(Meatballs with Ouzo and Mint)

2 slices day old bread, crust removed, 3 T. Ouzo(whoever brings this dish, bring the rest of the OUZO), ½ med onion, finely chopped, ¼ c extra virgin olive oil, more if needed, 1 lb ground beef(85% lean), 1 large egg plus 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten, 2 T capers, rinsed and finely chopped, 1 small garlic clove, minced, 3 T finely chopped fresh mint, 1 ½ tsp dried oregano, 1 ¼ tsp coarse salt, fresh ground pepper, 1 lemon

Tear bread into bite-sized pieces and place in a small bowl. Add ouzo and let stand for 10 minutes. Squeeze excess and transfer bread into a medium bowl.

Cook onion on medium heat in 2 T oil until soft( about 6 minutes) Add onion to bowl. Add beef to bowl and break up with your hands. Stir in eggs and yolks, capers, garlic, mint and oregano and salt. Season with pepper.

Knead mixture until combined then stir with spoon until smooth. With moist finger tips. Shape into 1 inch meatballs and put on a platter-cover and chill for 1 hr.

Rob was the salad chef....and it was delicious!

Many THANKS to my awesome husband for being the main cook at our house!!

SALATA HORIATIKI

(Greek Tomato Salad with Feta Cheese and Olives)

4 firm cucumbers, peeled and cut in half length wise, cut into bite sized chunks

8 ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into bite sized slices

2 large peppers(I use one red and one green), seeded and cut into bite sized pieces

2 small red onions, peeled and thinly sliced

8-12 ounces feta cheese, cut into cubes

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced

Combine all the above and dress with the following:

2 tsp, fresh chopped oregano, salt, pepper, 1/3rd cup white balsamic vinegar, 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, whisk together and pour half over salad, reserving the rest for the table. Let salad marinate in fridge for 1 hr then let sit and serve at room temp.

 Michael stirred and stirred the risotto. It was amazing, too!!

Joanie and I...are so thankful for our cooking husbands!!

Joanie's Husband was the dessert chef.....

FRAOULES ME KONIAK

Brandied Strawberries with Yogurt

1 lbs of fresh strawberries

4 T. of Metaxa or other brandy

6 T of brown sugar

4 cups of lowfat Greek Yogurt(I suggest we substitute frozen vanilla yogurt in this case)

Clean the strawberries, remove stems and cut into quarters. Toss with sugar and brandy and refrigerate, covered, for 3 hours.

In each serving bowl, place ½ cup frozen yogurt and top with 4-5 spoonfuls of the berries and 2 spoonfuls of the sugared sauce.

We had a wonderful evening with friends and GREAT FOOD!!

Many thanks to David and Vicki for being the first host....

We look forward to Dinner Club at the Sparkman's house next time for Italian Food!